For this discussion, it is important that you read Chapter 17 in Business Communication for Success, “Negative News and Crisis Communication.” You should also review the link from Purdue University on “Examples of Bad News Memos” located at the top of the list of activities for this week.
Step 1: Post your research report as a Word or rtf attachment (this is so a classmate can read it);
Step 2: Choose a classmate’s research report and post a response telling him/her that you are reading his/her report – only 1 reader for each report, please;
Step 3: (Here’s the hard part – and where Chap. 17 helps). In a memo (check Week 1’s topic on standard business writing types for correct memo format), tell the person whose report you have read that the company/community/etc. WILL NOT be implementing the recommended solution to the problem he/she has proposed. You will have to be creative in offering reasons why the solution cannot be implemented (money, opposition from stock holders, higher command or management, etc., are typical reasons for such decisions). Here is a helpful explanation of how to handle such a memo:
Post your memo as your second response to the person you have chosen.
This exercise gives you practice in one of business/professional writing’s toughest tasks – saying no.
Remember, try to follow the advice that you gain from Chap. 17 in the textbook. This will make the task both a little more difficult (the actual writing task) but somewhat easier (the handling of having to say no.)
